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Fla. school board opts out of Common Core testing

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The School District of Lee County, Fla., voted Wednesday to opt out of statewide, standardized testing. In a 3-2 vote Wednesday, the district became the first in Florida to say no to Common Core testing.

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Fla. school board opts out of Common Core testing

Footage of the moment that The Lee County School Board in Fort Myers, Fla., became the first district in the state to opt out of Common Core testing Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014.
Kinfay Moroti, The (Fort Myers, Fla.) News-Press

Wednesday night's action in Lee County was received with overwhelming cheers and applause in the packed auditorium of opt-out supporters clad in red. But it answered few questions on what is next for students and the district in regards to state and federal funding.

"Sometimes it takes an act of civil disobedience to move forward," said Don Armstrong, a school board member who voted in favor of opting out. "We cannot allow the fear to hold us back."

Over the last year, there has been growing criticism of Common Core from tea party activists and conservative groups, assailing it for taking away states' rights to set education standards.

“This will hurt children. There is no way around it. ”

Superintendent Nancy Graham, Lee County Public Schools

In March, Indiana became the first state to repeal Common Core.

"Oklahoma and Indiana are the only two states that have originally adopted standards and have chosen to move away from the standards," said Melissa McGrath, spokeswoman for Council of Chief State School Officers in Washington, D.C.

She said Oklahoma reverted to its 2010 standards and is going through a review process to write new standards.

Lee County School Superintendent Nancy Graham listens to public comments Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014, during a school board meeting in Fort Myers, Fla. Lee County is the first in Florida to opt out of Common Core testing.(Photo: Kinfay Moroti, The (Fort Myers, Fla.) News-Press)

North Carolina, Missouri and South Carolina passed legislation to review standards, McGrath said. "They still are teaching Common Core standards while undergoing the review process."

In New York, the Common Core standards were characterized by critics as being educationally inappropriate. Anger over the number of tests and their content resulted in between 55,000 and 65,000 students refusing to take the grades 3-8 tests this past spring.

According to the district's website, Lee County Public Schools is the ninth-largest district in Florida and the nation's 33rd-largest district with 85,000 students.

While the news was met with jubilation, Superintendent Nancy Graham said she was deeply concerned about the board's decision.

"This will hurt children. There is no way around it," Graham said while the audience booed. "I am gravely concerned about the decision that was made tonight, and I'll try to make sense of this. It's an interesting time to serve as the leader of this district."

The meeting adjourned without discussion regarding what test — if any — will now be used in place of the state tests. The board members did not address whether the decision will include charter schools.

“Sometimes it takes an act of civil disobedience to move forward. ”

Don Armstrong, Lee County school board member

Keith Martin, the board's attorney, was not sure that there were any "immediate, clear" consequences to the action. He said it was possible Florida Gov. Rick Scott could remove the school board members from power.

On Thursday, the Florida Department of Education released the consequences of schools not participating in testing.

"Non-participation in testing will negatively impact the student's grade point average," which also impacts high school graduation and receipt of diploma, university admissions eligibility as well as moving to the next grade level that requires a minimum GPA.

Last year Scott announced he was splitting from the federal government on Common Core. While wanting to establish high standards for Florida students, he rejected the federal government's "overreach into our state education system."

On Thursday, Scott said, "One thing (Lee County will) have to think about is, did they impact their ability to get federal funding and what impact, if they do lose that, what impact will that have on their students."

The audience booed the dissenting board members who begged Armstrong, Tom Scott and Mary Fischer to table the decision until concrete plans could be made.

Based on Florida Statute, students will not be able to receive a standard high-school diploma without taking the ACT or SAT.

Emotions came to a head when Lori Jenkins said her son was on leave from school because of a terminal heart condition, yet the district still sent someone to proctor the Florida's Comprehensive Assessment Test at his home. The audience gasped with disgust.

"He's terminal, he's going to die, but he goes to school! He does the stupid remedial classes! That's how I know this is all about money," Jenkins yelled into the microphone before she hit her one-minute time limit and the audio was cut.

Going forward, school board member-elect Pam LaRiviere said the district must now see how the state Department of Education reacts. She predicted Wednesday's decision would serve as an impetus for many other districts around the state.

"There's something about Lee County," she said. "It has not lost its frontier attitude. I give us a lot of credit, but I'm scared."